Zimbabwe to Hold Prayer Service for Violence-Free Elections

All Zimbabweans and churches across the world have been called upon to pray for a violence-free parliamentary election, which is scheduled for 31 March 2005. The appeal has come from the Ecumenical Church Institutions in Zimbabwe (ECZ), who has said that it will hold a national prayer service on February 13th for a peaceful election to be held.

The ECZ strongly urged all electorate, civic organisations and those involved in the elections to attend the special service, which will take place under the title, ‘Seek Peace and Pursue It’.

An ECZ statement commented, "Violence causes much suffering to our people, it retards development progress. It is incumbent upon the church to call on stakeholders and respective constituencies to live in peace and harmony and ensure that justice prevails at all time."

Paul Saungweme, who is one of Zimbabwe’s most popular evangelists is anticipated to deliver the sermon at the prayer gathering, and a Salvation Army band and Vabvuwi musical groups will, with a worship team led by the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, help make the night one to be remembered as the elections approach.

The ECZ is made up by the Zimbabwe Council of Churches, Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe, and the Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference.